Category Archives: Books

ARC Book Review: An Ocean Apart by Jill Tew

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The Basics:

The Book: An Ocean Apart by Jill Tew

How long is it? 352 Pages

Will Be Published: October 14, 2025 wherever you buy books (bookshop.org is a great place for books- clicking on the link will take you to my affiliate link)

The Genre: YA Dystopia (Standalone)

I got an advanced reader copy from netgalley!

What It’s About (Via Goodreads):

An electrifying dystopian novel packed with a tantalizing love triangle, gripping political intrigue, and a Bachelor-style competition from the critically acclaimed author of The Dividing Sky, Jill Tew.

Eden Lowell has plenty to be frustrated about. In the flooded Marshes of former Miami, each day is about survival. Even her feelings for her best friend Henry are more complicated than they should be. Luckily, Eden knows exactly who to the Cruisers, corporate elite who sail the world on massive ships instead of facing the environmental crimes they’ve committed on land.

When Eden learns that a Cruiser family is hosting a dating competition for their heir, Theo Desjardins, she seizes an opportunity. Aided by a political agitator known as the Ringmaster, she’ll infiltrate the competition, break Theo’s heart, and then steal his money for the Marshes. A perfect plan…

Until she gets to know Theo, who’s not only handsome but surprisingly kind…

As Eden drifts deeper down into the Cruisers’ world, the line separating truth and lies becomes murky. Torn between two identities, two loves, and two futures, will she choose the mission, or her heart?

What I Thought:

I wanted to start off my review with the fact I had an advanced reader copy.  I saw the author at a panel at YALLWEST back in May and was intrigued by this book.  I was glad I got approved for it, because I ended up loving it!

It is action-paced and fast-paced, and I think part of it is because the book is pretty short.  Well, it seemed short to me, but maybe that’s because I really enjoyed it and because there is a lot that happens.  It’s a stand-alone, which is actually refreshing for dystopian novels, but there is part of me that wishes we had another book.  I kind of wish we had a little more time to sit with some of the things going on in Eden’s world, but overall, it works well as a stand-alone.

The book reminded me of The Selection and The Hunger Games but on a cruise ship in a world ravaged by climate change.  You definitely see the differences between the wealthy (or cruisers) and those living in the Marshes (the ruins of Miami) after a pretty destructive hurricane.  Eden warms up to the cruisers pretty fast, realizing they’re not all bad.  Especially Theo, one of the love interests we see in the book.  I’m not sure how I feel about the love triangle and I thought her choice was pretty obvious.  I admit that I have mixed feelings about love triangles, so I am not necessarily the best person to talk about that.  If you’re a fan of love triangles, I think you’ll love this one!  Theo and Henry represent two very different futures for Eden, not just romantically, but for life in general.

This world is not too different than the one we’re currently living in.  We’re in a world where the gap between the wealthy and poor is growing wider and wider, the things we’ll do for money, and how much social media can control our lives.  There’s a lot about the environment in this book too, and I liked seeing how those elements came together.

I loved Eden, and I was rooting for her the whole time.  I found it interesting that she saw that not all of the Cruisers were terrible, though she warmed up to them pretty quickly, considering the huge differences between Eden and everyone around her.  At the same time, I also understood why she joined the competition.  She really was just trying to survive and take care of her loved ones, while taking her revenge on those responsible.

My Rating:

This is a 5 star read!  Eden’s world reminded me of the our world so much, and it’s a fast-paced, thought-provoking read.

ARC Book Review: The House Of Quiet by Kiersten White

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The Basics:

The Book: The House Of Quiet by Kiersten White

How long is it? 304 Pages

Will Be Published: September 9, 2025 wherever you buy books (bookshop.org is a great place for books- clicking on the link will take you to my affiliate link)

The Genre: YA Fantasy (Standalone)

I got an advanced reader copy from netgalley!

What It’s About (Via Goodreads):

To save her sister, she must enter the House.

In the middle of a deadly bog sits the House of Quiet. It’s a place for children whose Procedure triggered powers too terrible to be lived with—their last hope for treatment. No one knows how they’re healed or where they go afterward.

Birdie has begged, bargained, and blackmailed her way inside as a maid, determined to find her missing sister, Magpie. But what she discovers is more mysteries. Instead of the destitute children who undergo the Procedure in hopes of social advancement, the house brims with aristocratic teens wielding strange powers they never should have been burdened with.

Though Birdie wants to ignore them, she can’t help being drawn to stoic and silent Forest, charmed by clever River, and concerned for the youngest residents. And with fellow maid Minnow keeping tabs on everything Birdie does, danger is everywhere.

In her desperate search for Magpie, Birdie unearths terrifying threats and devastating truths, forcing her to confront just how much she’s willing to sacrifice to save her own sister. Because in the House of Quiet, if you find what’s lurking beneath . . . you lose everything.

Unravel the mystery. Ignite the rebellion.

What I Thought:

I am so excited that I got an ARC of this book because Kiersten White is an auto-buy author for me.  This book was so creepy and weird and absolutely something she would write, and yet, it is completely different than anything she has ever written.

I really loved this book and how creepy and claustrophobic it is.  There is absolutely a vibe for this book and it’s a really good fall read for that reason.  But you can read it anytime of year, especially if you’re like me and you look books full of mysteries in a timeless gothic/Victorian setting.

I loved seeing Birdie try to figure everything out and try to find her sister.  It’s what leads her to the House Of Quiet, where she meets patients and staff with secrets of their own.  It is slow paced, and we have more questions than answers, especially at the beginning.  But it is absolutely worth it, because this story is different and original, in the best possible.  There were times where nothing made sense, but as I kept reading, I got to see everything come together.  Especially since we get multiple narrators, so we get different perspectives on everything.  Those differing POV’s are not always obvious, but paying attention to the chapter titles will definitely give you the clues needed to figure that out.  I was definitely invested in the characters too, and I loved learning more about them.

My Rating:

This is a 5 star read!  This is another great book by Kiersten White.  If you like eerie settings, creepy houses, and mysteries upon mysteries, this is the book for you!

July 2025 Reading Round-Up

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Hello everyone!  I can’t believe July is over, and that we’re already in August.  Overall, it was a really good month for reading.  I read quite a few ARC’s last month, and overall, I really liked most of the books I read last month.  Keep reading to find to see what I read last month!

  • Trail Rides And Starry Eyes by Katrina Emmel.  This YA Contemporary comes out in December, but it issuper cute!  I loved the romance, the settings and the characters.  It’s set on a ranch, and we have horses, cowboys and cowgirls, and actors trying to learn how to do it all.  And we have a really cute romance as well.  It’s perfect for fans of Erin Hahn.
  • We Who Will Die by Stacia Stark.  I loved this Adult Romantasy.  It has ancient Rome vibes, but with vampires in charge. It was hard to get into at first, but once I got a few chapters in, I was hooked.  And there were a few twists that surprised me, so I am very excited about the next book in this series.  The love triangle is an interesting one, that’s for sure.
  • The House Of Quiet by Kiersten White.  Kiersten White is an auto-buy author for me, and I’m glad I got to read an ARC of her return to YA with this gothic horror.  This book comes out in September, and it’s a little bit different than a lot of her other books.  I loved it, and the house is very claustrophobic and unsettling.  I also loved the mystery and the characters.  I’m very curious about the character names, because there is a definite theme with them.  But I liked the names, and they definitely fit with what was going on.
  • First Love Language by Stefany Valentine.  I liked this YA Contemporary.  The romance was really cute, and I loved Catie a lot.  Her family has hit a rough patch, and I liked seeing her find friends, fall in love and learn about her family history.  I’m a little sad, because Catie and her family started out in San Diego, but had to move to Utah, and a book set in my hometown would have been really cool to read about.  Catie learns a lot about herself and her family, and I’m glad things are working out for her.  And I hope she gets some closure with the family of her biological mother.
  • Blades Of Furry by Emily Erdos and Daya Muniz.  I liked this YA graphic novel.  This one I read for book club, and it was really cute!  What’s not to love about animals battle skating?  It’s ice-skating meets martial arts, and I love the combination of the two.  I’m kind of surprised there wasn’t a Tonya Harding reference in this volume, but maybe we’ll see it in another volume.  The art fit with the story, and I loved the colors, which is really pastel and soft at times, while dark and ominous at other times.
  • Of Rime And Ruin by Liesl West.  I already talked about Of Rime And Ruin here, so there’s not much to add.  Other than the fact that I loved this book, and think it’s a great book if you love mermaids and Beauty And The Beast!

  • Vows Of Murder by Lynn Cahoon.  This was a fun cozy mystery, and I’ve really enjoyed this series.  This book is no exception, and I’m glad Jill and Greg got married in this book!  Of course, things don’t go smoothly, but that’s how things go in these cozy mystery small towns.  They seem great, but there are a lot of dead bodies that turn up.  Add in a cult, and there’s a lot of interesting things going on.  Plus, Jill owns a bookstore, and it is cool when bookstores and libraries show up in books.  I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book.
  • The Truth According To Ember by Danica Nava.  I loved this Adult Romance so much!  Ember was amazing, and I really felt for her.  She’s been through a lot, between all of the stuff with her brother and trying to find a job.  She definitely made some questionable decisions, but I also understand why she did what she did.  Her workplace was terrible, and while I hated what she had to deal, I am glad she got out of there.  I really want the best for Ember, and I want things to work out for her.
  • Rebelwing by Andrea Tang.  This YA sci-fi/dystopia was a re-read for me, but I’ve had the sequel on my table for literal weeks, and I’ve renewed it 4 times, so I figured a re-read was long overdue.  I liked it, and I thought the book was interesting.  There are robotic wyverns and dragons, and of course, it’s set in the ruins of what I’m assuming is the U.S.  Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve read a dystopia set in a country outside the U.S., so I’m open to recommendations if you have any.  I’m curious to see what will happen in the sequel, especially with how the book ended.  I’m glad I picked up again, and if you’re up for dystopia, this one is a good one to check out.
  • How To Be A Better Adult by Jacque Aye.  I loved this Adult Fantasy so much.  Actually, I’m not sure if fantasy is the best fit.  I mean, there are fantasy elements, and it’s more magical realism than fantasy, but I’m not really sure which genre fits best.  I really liked Hope, and I could relate to her so much.  We’re all trying to navigate adulthood, and sometimes, anxiety and depression go along with that.  Everything she dealt with at work were things that a lot of people deal with at some point, and I think the same goes for family expectations.  Having a magical handbook certainly helps, and we all need a little magic in our lives.
  • Yours For The Season by Kate Cochrane.  This adult romance was really cute!  It’s perfect for Christmas, because that’s when the book takes place.  Was it weird reading a Christmas book in the middle of summer?  Absolutely, but I loved this book, and Christmas is July has absolutely a thing, so why not?  I really felt for JT, and I hated her parents for a good portion of the book.  It’s interesting to see a book where you have one athlete in a family of artists, because I feel like it’s usually the other way around.  I hated they weren’t there for her because they couldn’t handle what people were saying, but it seems like they started to work things out.  And I love her and Ali together.  I felt for Ali too, with her divorce and everything with her mom.  I wasn’t a big fan of her mom either, and the parents weren’t great.  I understand why they acted the way they did, but they also caused a lot of hurt and pain in the process.  That aside, it’s a super cute romance with fun winter activities and hot chocolate.
  • The Wedding Witch by Erin Sterling.  This Adult Contemporary Romance is so cute!  It’s been quite a while since I’ve read the first two books in the series, but it’s okay, because each book focuses on a different couple.  I really liked this one, and I loved the time travel aspect to it.  I was a little surprised by why they went back in time, but it was nice to see how it got resolved in the future.  It has fall and Christmas vibes, so it’s a good book read anywhere from October to December.  But it can be enjoyed any time of year.  Plus, you have ghosts, haunted houses, and magical artifacts, and those were things I really liked about the book.  I like Bowen and Tamsyn together, and while things between them moved really fast, I didn’t mind it.

That wraps up what I read last month, and I hope the books I read this month are just as good!  Happy  reading, and I’ll see you around!

ARC Book Review: Of Rime And Ruin by Liesl West

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The Basics:

The Book: Of Rime And Ruin by Liesl West

How long is it? 456 Pages

Will Be Published: July 25, 2025 wherever you buy books (Instead of my usual bookshop.org link, I’m going to send you over to Liesl’s website, where you can find pre-order links for several places, content warnings, and a really cool map of Adria)

The Genre: Adult Romance/Fantasy (Standalone-ish, but part of the Sirens of Adria series)

I received an advanced copy from author Liesl West.

What It’s About (Via Goodreads):

A kingdom on the edge.
A monster in the depths.
And a bond that could rule or ruin…

Princess Nahlani of the Brine would rather master her siren magic than endure the responsibilities of court. So, when she’s threatened with an arranged marriage to a land-bound prince, Nahla flees—only to swim into the icy domain of the cruel Frost King.

King Aethan rules a Rime in ruins, his cold exterior concealing an unspoken a curse that turns him into a bloodthirsty, unpredictable threat to his own people. The siren spy in his waters doesn’t know it yet, but she’ll be safer behind bars…

Determined to escape her new captor, Nahla’s magic sparks a forbidden alliance. Unaware of the bond she’s formed with the kingdom’s most feared creature—the fabled clawbeast—Aethan moves her from prison to palace.

But as the truth of the beast unravels, so does the distance between Nahla and Aethan, leaving them to confront a dangerous and undeniable attraction.

Part of the Sirens of Adria series, Of Rime and Ruin is a fantasy romance retelling of Beauty and the Beast.

What I Thought:

I loved Of Song And Scepter, and when I saw that West was looking for ARC readers, I knew I had to apply for the arc, and I am so glad I was approved for, because this book was so good!

I loved Nahla and Aethan so much!  You don’t need to read Of Song And Scepter first, even though both books are set in the same world, since both stories are stand-alones, and focus on two very different couples.  I think Of Song And Scepter is a great book, and you should read it, but you’ll still know what’s going on if you skip it.

I loved this take on Beauty And The Beast, and I loved that we not only had Nahla and Aethan narrating, but the Beast as well.  This version is dark and icy, with an interesting mystery to boot.  I didn’t see the resolution to the mystery coming, but I liked seeing how that got resolved and how it came together.  Lucas was awful, and he is definitely the Gaston of this story, if you’re looking for parallels to the movie.  I wasn’t surprised by his role in things by the end of the book, but I’d be curious to see if it’s something I’d notice if I’d re-read it again.  I did like the nods to the movie, as well, and it really makes me want to go watch the movie!

I loved Nahla, and I was rooting for her the entire book.  I don’t blame her for wanting to escape, and though things were rough in Rime, I’m also glad it worked out for her.  I also loved how Aethan defended her when her family was acting completely awful.  Aethan was interesting and I was surprised to see that Aethan and the beast was more of a Jekyll and Hyde situation.  While it strays from the movie, I thought it was really cool, because there are these two sides to him that he needs to reconcile.  Granted, I’ve never read Jekyll and Hyde, so I’m not the best source, but I thought it was a great take on the Beast.  I really liked Aethan as well, and I definitely understood why he thought Nahla was a spy.  Obviously, he changes his mind about her by the end of the book, but his initial distrust made a lot of sense to me.  I especially loved them together, and I loved seeing them fall in love.

My Rating:

I loved this book so much, and it is a 5 star read for me!  If you love mermaids, magic, and Beauty And The Beast, this is the book for you!

2025 Mid-Year Book Favorites

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Hello friends!

As promised, this post is about my favorite books from the year (so far).  It took a little longer than expected to put this together, but I finally did it!  Let’s get started!

  • If We Were A Movie by Zakiya N. Jamal.  This book is so cute, and the perfect summer read.  I loved the characters and the movie theater they worked, plus the romance was super cute!
  • Accidental Demons by Clare Edge.  What I loved most was the concept!  A Type-1 Diabetic summons demons when she checks her blood sugar made for a great novel, and it got me thinking about chronic illness in magical worlds.  It’s not something you see a lot of, and I wish we saw more of it.  It’s also nice to see a book about chronic illness that’s not mental illness.
  • Wishing Upon The Same Stars by Jacquetta Namar Feldman.  I talked about this one a few days ago, but I love Yasmeen so much, and her family has been through a lot.  This book does a great job at highlighting what’s going on in Palestine, and how that impacts families like Yasmeen’s.
  • Most Likely by Sarah Watson.  This book was great on audio but I also just loved the story of 4 best friends, any of whom could be president.  One day, I hope I can reread it because I would love to do that knowing which girl actually becomes president.  But it’s such a great read, and they really do have a great friendship that has lasted for decades.
  • The Romantic Agenda by Claire Kann.  I loved Joy, and though I wasn’t the biggest fan of Malcolm, her best friend, I was so glad to see a main character who’s ace!  I really need to read more books about ace characters, and this book was a great read.  I’m really glad it was recommended to me, and I definitely need to find more books like it.
  • The Davenports by Krystal Marquis.  I don’t read a lot of historical fiction, but I was glad I picked this one up.  It’s inspired by a real life family, the Pattersons, and we have four incredibly different but also amazing young women.  They have so much to navigate, and things aren’t easy for them, but they do what they can with what they have.  I can’t help but wonder what things would be like for them if they had been born a few decades later, but this time period is also perfect for them.

  • A Banh Mi For Two by Trinity Nguyen.  This book was so cute!  I loved the romance, the food, and navigating a tricky family history.  I cried so much when I was reading this book, but it was worth it!  I loved seeing Vivi explore Vietnam through food, and Lan had a lot of grief to work through, but her story was just as important as Vivi’s.
  • The Lumbering Giants Of Windy Pines by Gabe Netz.  This book has Gravity Falls vibes, and I really liked Jerry.  It’s a good fall/Halloween read, but honestly, I think it’s a good read no matter when you’re reading it!  Whether she’s making friends or saving the day, Jerry has a lot of adventures.  I think the disability rep is so important too, because Jerry and her mom need to live in a place that’s accessible to Jerry, who is in a wheelchair.  We see that every disability is different, but that being in a wheelchair is a normal part of Jerry’s life.  It’s such a good book, and one I’m glad I read.
  • Catch And Keep by Erin Hahn.  I’ve been a fan of Hahn ever since I read You’d Be Mine a few years ago.  This is another great romance from Hahn, and I loved seeing Maren and Joe fall in love.  This book is particularly cozy, and I loved that she not only fell for Joe, but his kids as well.  And she definitely felt like more of a parent to them then their own mom did.  At least from the glimpses we got of her.  I loved the friendships, the romance and found family we get in this book.
  • The Fervor by Alma Katsu.  I am a fan of Alma Katsu, and this book was such a good read!  I love the way she blends horror, history and the supernatural.  With everything going on with the ICE raids, a book about the Japanese internment camps is such an important book to read.  It does seem very timely, but if that’s a part of our history you’re not familiar with, I highly recommend taking the time to learn more about it, because it’s happened before, and I would not be surprised if it happened again.
  • Lore Of The Wilds/Lore Of The Tides by Analeigh Sbrana.  I loved this duology so much, and if you want a full review of Lore Of The Tides, you can click here.  Lore is amazing, and I love the world she lives in.  I’m not going to talk about this duology too much, because I’ve already talked about it quite a bit, but it’s a great read.

That wraps up my mid-year recap!  If you have any favorites from this year, let me know in the comments!  See you around!

ARC Book Review: Lore Of The Tides by Analeigh Sbrana

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The Basics:

The Book: Lore Of The Tides by Analeigh Sbrana

How long is it? 464 Pages

Will Be Published: July 8,2025 wherever you buy books (bookshop.org is a great place for books- clicking on the link will take you to my affiliate link)

The Genre: Adult Romance/Fantasy (Book 2 in a duology)

I got an advanced reader copy from netgalley!

What It’s About (Via Goodreads):

From the author of Lore of the Wilds comes the exciting and passionate conclusion, as Lore navigates Fae magic amid looming dangers that threaten to destroy her world.

Lore Alemeyu wakes up to discover she’s on a ship in the middle of the ocean. Held prisoner and with no way to escape, she’s faced with a dire set of circumstances…

A crew that’s distrustful of Lore’s magic capabilities…

Her betrayal by a Fae she thought she could trust…

A dangerous quest for the sun book, which, if placed in the wrong hands, will make the Alytherian Fae even more powerful.

Lore must navigate threats on the ship and beyond, into the ocean’s magical and mysterious depths, in order to find the sun book herself and help free the humans. All the while, Lore can’t help but feel the intense pull of one Fae male who has been helping her all along. But is she willing to risk her human heart for creatures that have burned her in the past, and jeopardize her people’s future?

What I Thought:

I wanted to start off my review with the fact I had an advanced reader copy.  I loved this book so much, and it’s such a great ending to this story!  I really wanted more of Lore’s world, and I’m glad we got to see more of it in this book.  I would read another book set in this world in a heartbeat!  We meet so many new but cool characters, and this adventure is new and exciting, but one that Lore really needed to go on.  She is so amazing, and I loved seeing her explore a new world and navigate changing relationships.

I was curious to see Lore’s relationship with Asher (AKA Syrelle) with how Lore Of The Wilds ended.  I wasn’t the biggest fan of Syrelle, but I did love Lore and Finn together.  I also thought that all of the characters grew a lot in the this book, but I especially loved seeing Lore grow and tap into her inner strength.  I also loved seeing her make a lot of different decisions and seeing her try to balance what she wants for herself, for her friends and for the people of Duskmere.

This book has a very different feel to it, and it’s not one we see in the first book.  I think it’s a combination of Lore being more aware of what’s going on and the difference in setting.  I love the forest we saw in the first book, but I also love the underwater world we see, as well as the time spent sailing across the ocean.  I really felt like I was in Lore’s world, and it was so vivid and full of detail.  Her world really came to life, and it was the little things that made her world feel so real.

One moment that really stood out was when Finn offered to braid Lore’s hair, which I absolutely loved reading.  My hair is nothing like Lore’s, but no matter what’s going on, her hair still needed to be taken of care, and I was glad that Finn was able to care for her in that way.  It’s not something I would stop to think about, but it is something that others have to think about, and I’m glad we got to see that.

My Rating:

This is a 5 star book in my opinion!  I love the world and the characters and I can’t to have this book sitting on my bookshelf.  I haven’t talked about the cover, but it is absolutely beautiful, and I would 100% buy a print of it to hang up on my wall.  I don’t reread books often, but I know this is one I’ll be revisiting again!

June 2025 Reading Round-Up

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Hello dear readers!

I can’t believe it’s July already!  This year has gone by so fast, and I can’t believe we’re half-way through the year.  Reading this month was weird for me.  I felt like I started and stopped a ton of books, and some of the ones I did read, I barely remember, so I don’t have much to say about some of the books I read.  And I have quite a few ARC’s to get through, so over the next few months, you’ll be seeing some longer, individual reviews come through.  I’ll still talk about them in my monthly recaps, but they won’t be super detailed.  Not that I’m super detailed in these posts to begin with, but I definitely won’t be talking about them in the same way as the other books.  Let’s get to the books I read last month!

  • The Moth Girl by Heather Kamins.  I liked this YA contemporary!  Though Anna is diagnosed with a fictional illness, everything that Anna experiences is very real as she adjusts to a life-changing diagnosis.  It’s also nice to see chronic illness that’s not mental illness in a book, and I think that’s something we don’t see a lot of, especially in YA.  I loved the setting, though I’m curious about when the book takes place.  I’d say 90’s, based on the mixtapes and calling people on their home phone, and I can imagine that a mysterious illness pre-internet would be especially scary.  If you’re looking for chronic illness rep, this is a good one to check out.
  • Fools In Love: Fresh Twists On Romantic Tales edited by Rebecca Podos and Ashley Herring Blake.  This YA contemporary anthology was okay.  There’s a wide variety of stories, but as I read the stories in this anthology, I found that I felt ambivalent about most of the stories.  Even though I like some of the authors featured, the two stories that I really liked were authors who were new to me: Boys Noise by Mason Deaver and Disaster by Rebecca Podos.  I love that each story focused on a different idea.  Boys Noise was one bed at the inn and Disaster was second-chance romance, but also had themes like fake dating and mutual pining.  It’s cute and great to read around Valentine’s Day, but maybe I just didn’t read it at the right time.
  • Wishing Upon The Same Stars by Jacquetta Nammar Feldman.  I loved this Middle Grade contemporary!  I loved Yasmeen and her family, and I really felt for them.  I understood where her parents were coming from, particularly with some of their neighbors, but I also understood where Yasmeen was coming from as well.  She had a lot going on, from moving to bullying to racism, and I just wanted to give her a hug!  She found some great friends along the way, and I enjoyed seeing her give San Antonio a chance.
  • Fit For The Throne 3: The Season Finale by S. McPherson.  I liked this Adult Romantasy.  Things ended the way I thought they would, but it was a fun read and a pretty good conclusion to this trilogy.  I had a little trouble getting into the book at first, and I had a hard time remembering who a lot of the supporting characters were.  But that didn’t take away my enjoyment of the book, and it’s a pretty entertaining series to read.  Varialla was great, and I really liked seeing her journey throughout the series.  I think she’s going to do a lot of good in this world, and I’m glad that things worked out between her and Exequiel.  There was no doubt in my mind it was going to work out, but it’s still good to see them get their happily ever after.
  • Shadow City by Francesca Flores.  This YA fantasy was okay.  I read the first one a long time ago, and re-read before picking this one up.  I didn’t like it as much as I thought it would, but I loved the world.  Maybe it’s another one that I didn’t read at the right time, but maybe it’s just not for me.  It is a good sequel to the first book, and I liked Aina, who was just trying to get by.  I get why she worked with Kohl, but he is not a good guy.  Other than that, I don’t have a lot to say about this one, because I don’t have a lot of strong feelings either way.

  • Finding Her Edge by Jennifer Iacopelli.  I really liked this YA contemporary!  After reading Break The Fall, I knew I had to read this one.  This book focuses on an ice-skater, and it’s definitely not as technical as Break The Fall, but it was still enjoyable as someone who watches ice-skating every few years during the Olympics.  There’s drama and romance and family issues, and I loved every second of it.  If you like cute, YA romance, this is a good one to check out!
  • Lore Of The Wilds & Lore Of The Tides by Analeigh Sbrana.  Lore Of The Wilds was a re-read for me, and I wanted to re-read it before reading the ARC of Lore Of The Tides.  I’m not going to talk much about Lore Of The Tides here, since I plan on a doing a longer review in the next few days, but I will say that this is a great duology, and the world is amazing!  I also loved the characters, and I’m so excited that Sbrana is coming to San Diego for one of her bookstore stops.  This Adult Romantasy is worth reading!
  • An Ocean Apart by Jill Tew.  I got an ARC of this YA dystopia, and like Lore Of The Tides, a longer review will be coming.  This book comes out in October, so that review will be coming out sometime in the next few months.  This is a world ravaged by climate change, which doesn’t surprise this Southern California girl.  It shouldn’t surprise any of us, but there are people who would find it surprising.  It’s a future I can envision, because we’re already living it to some degree, and this world was so easy to picture.  I’ve already pre-ordered this book, which comes out October 15, 2025.
  • Exactly Where You Need To Be by Amelia Diane Coombs.  I loved this YA contemporary!  I was absolutely crying by the end of the book, and I loved seeing Florie stand up to her mom and take control of her life.  Though I understand why her mom acted the way she did, there were times were I absolutely hated her, starting in San Francisco and up until the end of the book.  I was glad Florie’s therapist was able to help mediate some of the issues, and advocate for her.  I was sad that Florie made it all the way to San Francisco for the live show of a My Favorite Murder-type podcast, and didn’t get to meet the hosts, but I was glad that there was an open invitation for tickets at a future stop.  I was hoping that would happen for her, and I’m glad it did.  I really felt for Florie, and she has a good friend in Kasey, and I’m glad they got to go on an epic road trip together.
  • The Art Of Catching Feelings by Alicia Thompson.  I loved this Adult Contemporary Romance.  I don’t normally read sports romances, especially ones written for adults, but I saw this one of the displays at the library, and decided to pick it up.  I’m glad I did, because I loved Daphne and Chris.  There’s miscommunication and secrets, of course, but I loved seeing how both of them felt about things, and how they met!  It’s such a cute book, and the romance between them was so fun to read.  And it is incredibly sweet, if you ask me.  While Chris didn’t find out about Daphne’s hidden identity in the best way, I also understood why she kept not telling him.  I think that’s why I was glad that we got both of their perspectives.  It’s a super-cute romance, and the perfect book for summer!

That’s all for today!  A longer review for Lore Of The Tides will be coming soon, and I’m thinking about doing a mid-year recap, so you’ll be getting an extra post or two from me soon.

See you around!

May 2025 Reading Round-Up

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I can’t believe May is over!  It went by so fast, and it was full of bookish fun!  I made it to YALLWEST, which I talked about here, and I have a few ARC’s that I’m excited about.  I already talked about And They Were Roommates by Page Powars here, so I won’t be including it in this round-up, but it was cute.  Speaking of books, let’s get to the other books I read last month.

  • If We Were A Movie by Zakiya N. Jamal.  I loved this YA contemporary!  I loved everything about this book: the romance, the movie theater and the characters.  I hope the Horizon is around for a long time, and that they were able to figure out who was behind all of the pranks.  It’s the perfect book for summer!
  • Daughters Of A Dead Empire by Carolyn Tara O’Neil.  This YA historical fiction is a re-telling of Anastasia.  This book focuses on her survival after the murder of her entire family, and it was interesting to see her travel across Russia to reunite with her remaining family.  I loved her friendship with Evgenia, and how meeting each other really changed things for both girls.  We don’t know what happens to her later on, but I would definitely be interested in a sequel to see what was in store for her.
  • Mani Semilla Finds Her Quetzal Voice by Anna Lapera.  This middle grade contemporary is a must-read!  I loved seeing how Mani questioned the misogynist policies at her school, and seeing her find her voice to stand up for all of the girls in her school.  I also loved how that connected to her family, and all the secrets and heartache they had to deal with.  I could relate to Mani in a lot of ways, and I loved seeing her find her voice.
  • Better Left Buried By Mary E Roach, narrated by Casey Holloway.  I liked this YA mystery!  It worked really well on audio, and I’m glad I listened to it, because I’m not sure if I would have finished it otherwise.  This Mary Roach is not the Mary Roach that has written books like Stiff, Gulp, and Spook, which is what I initially thought when I got this book.  Anyway, there’s a creepy small town that’s full of secrets, and ruled by an extremely wealthy family who will cover up their wrong-doings at any cost.  I was frustrated by Katie, Lucy’s mom, and how she refused to tell her daughter anything about her past.  I understand her hesitance but also, don’t bring your daughter to your hometown if you’re not willing to answer her inevitable questions.  She didn’t want Lucy to do any investigating but also left her alone pretty much the whole time, so what else was Lucy going to do?  It was pretty slow-paced and then everything happens at once, which wasn’t surprising.  If you like small-town mysteries, this is a good one to check out.
  • Loteria Cards And Fortune Poems: A Book Of Lives, Poems by Juan Felipe Herrera, Linocuts by Artemio Rodriguez.  I was intrigued by this poetry collection because I love Loteria.  If you’ve never played, I highly recommend it.  I especially recommend reading the introduction to this book, since it goes into a lot of detail about Loteria itself.  I loved El Jorobado, La Muerte, El Murcielago, La Mano and El Angel De La Guarda.  While I wish these illustrations were as colorful as the the actual loteria cards, they are pretty detailed and they go well with the poetry.
  • Fit For The Throne 2: The Royal Games by S McPherson.  I liked this adult romantasy, though I didn’t like it as much as the first book in this series.  I am curious to see how things go in the next book, especially with how the book ended.  I liked seeing the relationship that Varialla has with both Exequiel and Loch.  Loch is absolutely terrible, and I find myself wanting to skim the scenes with him and Varialla because of how manipulative and controlling he is.  And I understand why Exequiel doesn’t trust Varialla, though they manage to work together to get through the games.  If you like romantasy that’s more romance than fantasy, this is a good series to check out.

  • Notes On The Assemblage by Juan Felipe Herrera.  This is another great poetry collected from Herrera.  This one is significantly shorter than his Loteria poetry collection, and some of the poems are in both English and Spanish.  We Are Remarkably Loud Not Masked and Poem by Poem are the two that you absolutely need to read from this collection.  I love the way he touches on current events in those poems.  I also recommend I Am Kenji Goto, Song Out Here, Borderbus, The Soap Factory, and Notes On The Assemblage.  I liked this one slightly more than Loteria, because the images are a little more vivid, but they’re both good.  It just depends on what you’re looking for.
  • I’m Not Supposed To Be In The Dark by Riss Neilson.  I liked this YA Romance!  It has magic, ghosts and family secrets that get uncovered.  It has an absolutely beautiful cover too, and I can’t stop looking at it!  I wasn’t interested in the romance, and I found the magic and ghosts to be much more interesting.  I’m intrigued by what Aria can do, and it seems like there are quite a few people who have their own abilities as well.  I get why her grandpa and her mom had her drink a special tea twice a day, and why they didn’t tell her anything about her abilities, but it was something I disagreed with because she got into some unfortunate situations because of it.  I’m glad I read it, and I’m looking forward to reading Neilson’s other books!
  • The Jump by Brittney Morris.  I liked this YA Contemporary!  I haven’t read anything like it before, and I love the idea of groups doing really cool scavenger hunts.  There is a pretty interesting mystery in this book, and I liked seeing this group of teens figure out the puzzles we see throughout the book.  I can definitely understand why they’d want in on the scavenger hunt we see in the book, and it seems like everything works out okay for them.  It is pretty short, so there’s a lot that happens in a short amount of time.  I kind of wish that it had been a little bit longer, just so we had some time to breath, and to explore some of the issues a little more as well.  It was a fun, action-packed book, though, and a pretty fun read.
  • How To Survive A Slasher by Justine Pucella Winans.  I thought this YA horror was okay, but it was interesting to hear what my book club thought about it.  I’ve read similar books (You’re Not Supposed To Die Tonight by Kalynn Bayron and There’s No Way I’d Die First, which are both great), so this story wasn’t anything new to me.  It actually felt more true crime adjacent than horror because of the story itself.  I liked that CJ talked about how it wasn’t just something that happened in her town, because she had a direct connection to everything that happened, and it’s a good reminder that that are real people behind the true crime stories that are so popular.  While not for me, I think it’s a great introduction to slashers and YA horror in general.
  • Sweet Obsession by Katee Robert.  This adult contemporary romance was okay.  I’m curious to see how things turn out for Olympus, and I’m looking forward to getting Hera’s story, as well as Hermes.  I was interested because of how the last book ended, and because Poseidon isn’t a character that we’ve seen a lot of in the previous books.  I found that I didn’t particularly care about Poseidon and Icarus, and their relationship was definitely built more on physical attraction than anything else.  This one, along with Dark Restraint, are the ones where I cared more about the plot and what was going on with Olympus than the romance…which is weird considering the genre.  But since this series is going to be 10 books (11, if you count the prequel novella), it makes sense that I wouldn’t care for all of the couples.  That was definitely the case with this book, but at least I have Hera and Hermes to look forward to.
  • We Are The Beasts by Gigi Griffis.  I thought this YA historical fiction was okay.  I wasn’t sure about it for most of the book, but I did end up liking it by the end.  It’s an interesting take on the Beast Of Gevaudan, and this book does a great job at showing how men are the real monsters.  I really felt for the girls we met, and how they had no options to leave.  Using the beast was a pretty good idea, in my opinion, and I’m glad that this group of girls got out.  I hope things go well for them, wherever they end up.

That’s all for this month, and I’ll be back soon!  See you around!

ARC Book Review: And They Were Roommates by Page Powars, Narrated by Ben Balmaceda

Posted in ARC, Audiobooks, Books by

The Basics:

The Book: And They Were Roommates by Page Powars, Narrated by Ben Balmaceda

How long is it? 9 Hours, 6 Minutes/320 Pages

Will Be Published: May 27, 2025 wherever you buy books (bookshop.org is a great place for books- clicking on the link will take you to my affiliate link)

The Genre: YA Contemporary (Standalone)

I got an advanced listening copy from netgalley!

What It’s About (Via Goodreads):

A hilarious, unputdownable second-chance-romance about the most unlikely, gay roommate mishap. Perfect for fans of Casey McQuiston and Gwen & Art Are Not in Love.

Romance is the last thing on Charlie’s mind.

On his first day at Valentine Academy for Boys, Charlie’s carefully crafted plan to hide his identity as the school’s only trans student is set in motion. Only to be immediately destroyed. Charlie has been assigned the worst roommate in the world (possibly the universe): Jasper Grimes, the boy who broke Charlie’s heart the year before he transitioned.

Except, Jasper doesn’t recognize Charlie.

Who knows how long until Jasper realizes the truth? Charlie has one shot at freedom and a dorm room all to himself, but only if he helps Jasper write love letters on behalf of their fellow students first. No problem. Charlie can help Jasper with some silly letters.

Long nights spent discussing deep romantic feelings with Jasper? Surely, no unintended consequences will arise…

What I Thought:

I wanted to start off my review with the fact I had an advanced reader copy, though listening copy might be more accurate since I had the audiobook.  I was randomly browsing netgalley for the first time in ages, and knew I had to request it since the book club I’m a part of will be reading it next month.  I was glad that I got approved!

Onto the book itself!  I actually really liked it on audio, and I thought Ben Balmaceda did a great job narrating Charlie’s story.  It is cute, and if you like mistaken identities and second-chance romance, this is a great book for you!  I felt for Charlie, and how he was just trying to survive the school year.  Especially after finding out that he wasn’t going to have a private room, like he had requested.  With the person who he was in love with at a long ago summer camp, and who initially didn’t recognize Charlie as the person that he met before.

For me, this book was okay, and I can’t quite figure out why.  I mean, the narration was great, I liked Charlie and Jasper, and I liked the setting.  STRIP and the letters were interesting too.  I don’t know that I like Jasper and Charlie together, but maybe have a few chapters from Jasper’s perspective would have helped.  It would have been nice to see what Jasper was thinking, and how he felt about Charlie.

I liked the elements individually, but I didn’t love them together.  I’m not sure why, but that’s just how it worked out.  I think a lot of people are going to love this book.  It’s not the book for me, but I think it’s a book that will appeal to a lot of people.

My Rating:

As much as I hate to do this, this book gets 2 stars.  I liked each element on its own but not as a whole.  It’s cute, and I think a lot of people are going to love it!

The YALLWEST 2025 Recap

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Today is all about YALLWEST 2025!  This was my 2nd time going; my first time was back in 2019.  You can find that recap here. I also did their virtual events during COVID, and it was fun make the trip up to Santa Monica and to attend in-person.  It took me a few days to organize my thoughts, but it was really fun, and I’m glad I went.

Initial Thoughts

I got there about 9:30, and my intention was to walk around and check everything out.  Since my last/only in-person trip was 6 years ago, I wanted to check everything out before everything started at 11.

That was actually the most frustrating part of the day!  It was incredibly crowded and near impossible to walk through, so I looped around as best I could and got some coffee while I waited for the first panel to start.  It did get better as the day went on but it was pretty frustrating as someone who just wanted to walk around and check everything out first.  It seemed pretty disorganized to someone who wasn’t trying to get arcs, and in my opinion, it’s a matter of time before someone gets hurt just trying to navigate that area, whether you’re in line or just trying to walk around.  I’m not sure what the solution is, but I think the set-up they had needs to change.  Along with crowd control, and making sure the lines aren’t blocking basically the whole sidewalk.

The Panels

I did one panel at 11, Manuevering the Map, which was moderated by Marisha Pessl, and featured Kristen Ciccarelli, Tracy Deonn, Akwaeke Emezi, Hafsah Faizal, and Laura Goo.  I loved hearing the authors talk about how they created their worlds.  Tracy Deonn uses a spreadsheet to keep track of the lines of Arthur, while Hafsah Faizal uses email drafts for ideas.  Faizal also started with just vibes for A Tempest Of Tea.  And Akwaeke Emezi’s ideas start with daydreams and expand out from there.  That panel had a giveaway, so I ended up a pretty cool tote bag and a couple of arcs.  While I don’t seek them out, I’m not going to complain if they are freely given to people going to a panel.

The other panel I went to was at 4, Holding Space For Defying Gravity.  It was moderated by Jill Tew, and had Lily Braun Arnold, Chloe Gong, Tahereh Mafi, E.L. Starling, and Joseph Andrew White.  I have to say, E.L. Starling’s upcoming book sounds great, so I can’t wait to check that one out.  This panel was all about dystopia, and the one thing that really stuck out from that panel was when Tahereh Mafi was talking about hope, and how much we put on the next generation to solve things, but that the adults need to take on some of that responsibility as well.  At that point, we ran out of time, but that was a great note to end on.

The Signings

I did four author signings this year!  The Kristen Ciccarelli and Tracy Deonn signings were the main reason why I went up to YALLWEST this year.  I got The Rebel Witch signed when Kristen Ciccarelli made a stop at Mysterious Galaxy, but I didn’t realize I needed a copy of Heartless Hunter until I got to the event, and the store was sold out.  So when I saw she was going to be at YALLWEST, I grabbed a ticket once they were available, and I was set.  I was able to get the Legendborn Cycle signed as well, and hopefully when book 4 comes out, I’ll be able to get that signed.  Ciccarelli and Deonn were back to back (2 pm for Ciccarelli and 3 pm for Deonn), so I was able to get in line for Tracy Deonn once I got Heartless Hunter signed.

I also did two non-ticketed signings: I got If We Were A Movie by Zakiya N. Jamal and Throwback by Maurene Goo signed.  The Maurene Goo signing was at 2, so I got in line for her first, and then headed across campus for the Ciccarelli signing.  I figured the line for Maurene Goo would be shorter, which gave me plenty of time to get in for Kristen Ciccarelli.  Plus, it meant I could get in line for Tracy Deonn’s signing at 3, since I was already there.

The Rest Of The Day

I had quite a bit of free time in between the Zamika Jamal signing and the 2 pm signings, so I got some lunch, found a dry place to sit, and read while eating lunch.  I was not expecting rain, so finding a dry place to sit was challenging, but it was possible.  There were a ton of food trucks, and picking one was hard.  But I settled on Poutine Brothers, and got the Crispy Chicken Poutine.  It ended up being the perfect lunch for a cloudy, rainy day.  I did consider the In-N-Out Truck and the taco trucks, but I can have both tacos and In-N-Out at home, so why not go with something different?  I also got strawberry boba later and it was really good!  I stopped at the YALLWEST merch table, and got a tote bag and a notebook, and started the long drive home.  With a break, of course, because I hate driving, and I just really needed to get out of my car.

Final Thoughts:

  • I was a little disappointed with the vendors/booths this year.  Other than a couple of library booths, a voter registration booth, festival merch, and two bookseller tables (Barnes & Noble and a comic book store), it was all sponsors, arc giveaways and tickets for sponsor-run events.  For reference, in 2019, Owl Crate and Book Beau had booths, but this year, there were no book boxes or book inspired/book adjacent booths.  I hope those sort of booths come back in the future.  For the record, there’s nothing wrong with going for the arcs and giveaways, but it’s not for me, and a little more variety would be nice.
  • I kind of think the festival has outgrown the venue, at least as it was set-up.  I felt like, 6 years ago, there was a good variety of booths, and they were pretty spread apart.  But this year, it felt like there were too many people for a really small area.  A majority of the booths were set up on one walkway, and the venue is a pretty good size, but maybe the festival is limited as far as what areas of the school they can use.  I hope that’s something they consider in the future.
  • The signings and panels were really fun, and that part was put together pretty well.  I thought the process for ticketed signings were so much better than it was 6 years ago!  It felt much more organized, and in my opinion, that was a really good change.
  • Planning my day made it a lot more fun and a lot less overwhelming and stressful.

Overall, it is a really good event, and they had a ton of great authors and really interesting panels.  I got to do everything I wanted to do, and I’m glad I went.  I would go again, and I’ll definitely be checking out the schedule for future events.  Maybe one year, I’ll even check out out Fierce Friday.  Watching the stories come out of the Million Lives Festival on Sunday was surreal.  There are a lot of articles about it at this point, especially if you haven’t heard about what happened, but this USA Today article sums it up pretty well.

That is all for today, but I’ll be back soon.  Until then, happy reading!